Multiplayer Programs & Utilities

This section of Doomworld is devoted to programs and online services that will let you play Doom over the internet. Most of these services require some knowledge and tweaking of your own system and internet connection, so don't be surprised if things don't work the first time around. Also, the pool of hardcore Doomers has diminished significantly since the "good ol' days" so you're not always guaranteed to find an opponent since most ports do not feature a quake-like servers with in-game joining... Exceptions are the client/server internet ports csDoom, Vavoom and JDoom listed below.

The best way to find opponents for head-to-head games is to subscribe to a deathmatch databasis, or to go look for them on IRC channels such as EFnet's #deathmatch or Openproject's or #doom.

Multiplayer Programs

Based off of ZDoom 1.23 this port will allow you to hook up and play with other DOOM players the same way you do in any modern FPS. Create a ZDaemon account and keep track of your progress and watch as you slowly gain experience and levels the more you play. Up to sixteen players can join in a all out fragfest or four players working together to stay alive can revisit classic DOOM & DOOM II levels.

Official id Software Win32 front-end for all Doom IWADs, with added features such as high resolutions and TCP LAN play. Note: this means you -cannot- use this program to play on the internet, but -only- on a local area network.

There used to be an iFrag tracker up at 205.244.188.36 (status unknown), but it's also a great program to setup your own server/client. Knowledge of your system is absolutely required to setup this DOS program. More information can be found here or in the Net-Dooming FAQ.

Internet Doom Explorer shows all public doom servers from the masterservers. Supports the sourceports ZDaemon, Skull Tag and Odamex. Also features a buddylist, shows your ping to the servers and allows you to host a server.

Open source doom sourceport specialized in oldschool multiplayer features. Also has other enhancements over regular Doom such as mouselook and jumping (which can both be turned off on the server level). Full Boom compatibility. Launcher and server browser included, nothing else needed!

Open source Doom sourceport specialized in oldschool multiplayer features. Also has other enhancements over regular Doom such as mouselook and jumping (which can both be turned off on the server level). Full Boom compatibility. Launcher and server browser included, nothing else needed!

Open source Doom sourceport specialized in oldschool multiplayer features. Also has other enhancements over regular Doom such as mouselook and jumping (which can both be turned off on the server level). Full Boom compatibility. Launcher and server browser included, nothing else needed!

Deathmatch Info Sites

Well-maintained and up-to-date deathmatch-oriented site for the classic DOS doom2.exe, founded by BahdKo who is one of the top players out there. Here you can find everything to do with oldschool deathmatching, deathmatch tactics (including tutorials), downloadable DM levels plus all the dirt on all the available internet-capable source ports. Highly recommended!

One of Doomworld's hosted sites, featuring info on how to play ZDoom deathmatch and a growing & maintained database of players. Info on how to play ZDoom using ICQ or DoomServ. Of late it also hosts a SkullTag tutorial.

Online Services

Commercial program that supports lobby driven player matchmaking for ZDoom (and many other games not related to doom). Shareware (unrestricted) version available (contains Ads). Registrations costs $9.95 monthly.

The Microsoft Gaming Zone offers free browser-based internet play for lots and lots of games. Requires Win95/98, or NT 4.0 or later with Service Pack 3 plus Netscape v4+ or MSIE v3.02+. Doom isn't listed, but it is reported playable.

Network drivers and misc. files

Contains LSL.COM, NE2000.COM and IPXODI.COM. You'll need these drivers to setup a Doom network game, using a NE2000 compatible network card. Replace NE2000.COM with your own network card driver if you have another card (quite possible included on disk when you bought it, or else available on the Net). Batch file included for loading.

Nifty modification of IPXSetup that introduces a master/slave relation within a network game, passing along the game parameters from the 'master' to the 'slaves'. Support for Heretic/Hexen, and patches.

Serial drivers and misc. files

According to the text file: "APCiDOOM v5.6 is a freeware utility for DOOM or DOOM II. It is the client software that allows high-speed modem users to play four player true network modem DOOM via the APCi MultiPlayer Game Server. It features a chat utility that enables players to chat and change WAD files/settings before and between games. Supported modes are modem, serial link, and IPX. Proper operation requires DOOM v1.9 or DOOM II v1.9 or later."

According to the text file: "APCiHERETIC is a freeware utility for Heretic and Hexen. It is the client software that allows high-speed modem users to play Heretic and Hexen via the APCi MultiPlayer Game Server(tm). It features a chat utility that enables players to chat and change WAD files and settings before and between games. Supported modes are modem, serial link, and IPX. Proper operation requires Heretic 1.2 or later, or Hexen 1.0 or later."

According to the text file: "This is a hack of id's serial device driver. It allows arbitrary baudrate, hardware handshaking, arbitrary irq, and arbitrary port addresses. This will allow you to run your V32bis modem at higher than 9600 baud. Also, some problems with dialing and answering the modem have been fixed (some modems can not accept command strings at full speed). The new structure of the modem.cfg file is described in the accompanying modem.cfg file."

According to the text file: "HX8 allows you to play Hexen, Doom or related games with up to 8 players together, and this over standard null-modem or modem links. Thanks to in-the-fly compression, it doesn't require much bandwidth. It has been successfully tested with The Ultimate Doom, and, extensively, with Hexen 1.1."

According to the text file: "JServe is a serial driver written specifically for the purpose of playing multi-player DOOM II Ver 1.666+. Although fairly easy to use, it was not written with the novice doomer in mind.(--)." It has the "ability to play 3 and 4 player DOOM using any combination of serial cables and modems."

According to feedback I got from 'Unfy' : "Pros: Constant connection. Chat ability. Ability to shell to dos and change the 'dparam' file (response file for changing levels / wads / etc). Cons: With a modem, while someone is calling someone else or answering a call.. any incoming message (chat for eg) would cause the modem to hang up. This can be annoying at times. Also, sometimes players 'disappear' from being able to talk / play.

According to the text file: "PARSETUP is a Parallel Printer Port device driver for id Software's DOOM (tm) and DOOM II (tm) which will allow two computers to play across a LapLink or InterLnk parallel cable. Just the thing if you want to play multiplayer DOOM but don't have network cards and your only serial port is taken up by your mouse. Source code is included."

SuperSer v2.0 is a serial/modem driver for Doom, Doom2, Heretic and Hexen. "Revolutionalize your NetPlay by using 3 or more computers connected together using only serial ports. Transfer files, chat, use the notebook and run dos-shell. View WADs and automatically validate them before playing. If you don't have a WAD, download it from the game moderator! All this and more in a friendly VESA user interface with mouse support, or if you want to use the mouse port for a connection, use the new fake mouse!"